Timberlake said he wrote the 2001 single "Gone" with Jackson in mind, but after it was turned down by Jackson's camp, he recorded the song with 'NSync. Then, after the single came out, Jackson called Timberlake.

“[He] said that he wanted to cut the record, but he wanted it to be a duet between himself and I. And I said, ‘It’s already out. We’ve already cut this song as an 'NSync record.’

“I’m on the phone, I’m literally punching myself in the face, because I said, ‘I can’t do that. Could we do an 'NSync featuring Michael Jackson? Or Michael Jackson featuring 'NSync?’ And he was very absolute about the fact that he wanted it to be a duet between himself and I.”

He credits that moment as giving him the confidence to pursue solo work. His debut solo LP Justified was released in 2002.